WINTER'S EDGE RED BLEND

Saracina

APPELLATION

Mendocino County

GRAPE VARIETIES

50% Grenache, 50% Field Blend (Grenache, Carignane, French Colombard)

WINEMAKERS

Alex MacGregor

TECHNICAL DATA

Acidity
3.23
Alcohol
14.5%

2018

90POINTS

Wine Enthusiast

FEBRUARY 2021

Where To Buy VIEW BRAND PORTFOLIO

BACKGROUND

Saracina is located along the Upper Russian River in northern California’s wine country. The 250-acre ranch which includes a winery and sustainably farmed vineyards, is also home to a 140-year-old olive trees, vegetable gardens, beehives, and local birds and wildlife. The handcrafted, limited production Saracina wines reflect a conscious sense of this beautiful place in Mendocino County. Founded by husband and wife team John Fetzer and Patty Rock in 2001, Saracina has always been defined by a strong sense of family. In 2018, Marc Taub took on stewardship of Saracina, upholding the spirit of family ownership that has defined this iconic Mendocino County winery since inception.

TERROIR & VINTAGE NOTES

This is a unique Mendocino old-vine field blend with grapes picked post frost on November 6th, 2018. Old vine Carignane, Grenache and French Colombard come from the historic Casa Verde vineyard, planted in 1944, combine with Grenache from the Niemi vineyard. The Casa Verde vineyard is dry farmed and certified organic with 75 year-old, head-pruned vines, planted on alluvial loam soils (yokayo series). These are low-yield, small clusters, averaging between one to two tons per acre providing more austere fruit to the blend. A portion of the Grenache is from the Niemi vineyard, where the soils are red-vined series, with more volcanic influence, and result in more plush, jammy fruit.

WINEMAKING & AGEING

The grapes were destemmed with 80% whole berries. Fermentation took place in open top fermenters. The free-run, drained juice underwent native malolactic fermentation, which took 12 months to complete. The wine was aged for 19 months in older Francois Freres barrels. The wine was bottled on July 31, 2020.

TASTING NOTES

Medium garnet colored, this southern French blend breaks all the rules in the best way possible! Crunchy red-fruited old vine Carignane combines with deeper Grenache character producing an irresistible wine with generous fruit, softs tannins, and firm acidity.